A choice of football v religion

By David Keller
BBC Norfolk

Choosing your passion over your faith can prove a hard decision

Twelve-year-old Josh has decided to balance his love of playing football with his worship of God.

The footballing award-winner from Sheringham has chosen to play only half of his future games.

Josh and his family are pleased with his decision, with many other opportunities opening up to him.

"My friends at football are OK with it and they know about my choice... I've made a lot of friends at the Salvation Army," said Josh.

The footballing all-rounder, who plays for the league-topping East Coast Warriors, was awarded Player of the Netherland's Tour for 2007 and Player of the Year for 2007/2008, whilst playing for Sheringham youth.

A bold decision had to be made when his football moved from Saturday to Sunday, which clashed with his churchgoing and his involvement in the Salvation Army.

"The manager has been good and he knows Josh will turn up. He understands religion is important to him." Claire, Josh's mum

Even though he is only playing half as many games, Josh doesn't regret his decision and is working twice as hard tofit in his worship and to keep playing football at a high standard.

Josh has been a life-long Plymouth Argyle fan, with his cousin and grandad also avid followers. Starting football at a young age, his form and career is now at a peak.

"I can play in any position really except in goal," he said.

"He's a child that's well liked and his manager has been brilliant. He moved teams for 2009 and he's gone into a better team where he is excelling," said Claire, Josh's mother.

When the playing days changed to a Sunday, Josh's religious commitments proved difficult to fit around his football.

"Josh's manager said when he started playing Sunday football that it would be just about acceptable to play once a fortnight. It's hard as a manager, because you need to know what's going on," said Claire.

Josh had to make a difficult decision, which his family tried to let him work out on his own.

Josh is a Plymouth Argyle fan and is mad about football

"It became a problem for the whole family, because we have been Salvation Army all our lives. Josh is the sixth generation of the Army in our family," said Claire.

"When I was young, I was always told to go to church and take part with the Salvation Army, but I've realised that times have changed and he will want to do other things.

"What we have ended up doing is compromising - as long as Josh goes to church and the Salvation Army one week, he can go to football the next."

Josh took his family's and manager's advice and made the decision to play football every fortnight, so he could also concentrate on his worship.

"The manager has been good and he knows Josh will turn up. He understands religion is important to him," said Claire.

Bold decision

Josh's mother Claire is pleased that at such a young age, Josh can make such a bold decision.

"He loves going to the Salvation Army because it's very musical and he enjoys learning his euphonium. He plays with the adult band now," she said.

"It's very hard to talk about your faith when you're 12, but he takes heed of what he's learned and he knows what is right and wrong.

"Hopefully this will give him a chance to grow more in his faith. It's really to show that other young people can balance life, as many give up their faith because of the other things they want to do."

Claire was one of those people. She left the Salvation Army at the age of 16 and didn't go back until she was 25, as it clashed with her desires to drink and smoke as a teenager, which was against the Salvation Army's wishes.

Josh's family respect his decision to carry on his Salvation Army work

"As I chose to do those things, it took me away from church. I just left the lot because I thought to myself 'Blow it, if you don't want me then I'm going!'

"It's only when you get a little bit older that you realise it's not what it's cracked up to be and I wanted to get back on the straight and narrow, so I went back.

"I know the Salvation Army gives you a good standard of life and I want that for Josh. He understands that too."

As for whether he will wish to peruse his faith further in his lifetime, Josh at the moment is quite happy playing his football.

"All he ever talks about is football, football, football!" said Claire.